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A beloved North Indian comfort food featuring tangy yogurt and chickpea flour curry with soft, spiced fritters. This creamy, savory dish is a weekend lunch staple, best enjoyed with steamed rice.
For 4 servings
Prepare the Pakora Batter (15 minutes)
Fry the Pakoras (10 minutes)
Prepare and Cook the Kadhi (25 minutes)
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A beloved North Indian comfort food featuring tangy yogurt and chickpea flour curry with soft, spiced fritters. This creamy, savory dish is a weekend lunch staple, best enjoyed with steamed rice.
This punjabi recipe takes 65 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 345.19 calories per serving with 9.15g of protein, it's a moderately challenging recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Combine Kadhi and Pakoras (5 minutes)
Prepare the Tempering (Tadka) (3 minutes)
Finish and Serve
Substitute the dairy yogurt with a plant-based sour yogurt (like cashew or soy) and use oil instead of ghee for the tempering.
For a sattvic version, omit the onion from the pakora batter and the ginger from the tempering. The dish will still be flavorful from the other spices.
Enhance the pakoras by adding 1/4 cup of finely chopped spinach (palak), fenugreek leaves (methi), or grated potato to the batter.
Increase the amount of green chilies in the pakora batter and add a slit green chili to the tempering for an extra kick of heat.
The yogurt base is an excellent source of probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that support a healthy gut microbiome, improve digestion, and boost immunity.
Besan (chickpea flour) is a plant-based protein powerhouse, essential for muscle repair, cell growth, and providing sustained energy.
Spices like ajwain (carom seeds), hing (asafoetida), and ginger are traditionally known for their digestive properties, helping to alleviate gas, bloating, and indigestion.
Besan provides complex carbohydrates and fiber, which release energy slowly, helping to maintain stable blood sugar levels and promoting a feeling of fullness.
Kadhi usually curdles for two main reasons: not whisking the yogurt and besan mixture well enough, or not stirring it continuously while it comes to a boil. Ensure the initial mixture is perfectly smooth and keep stirring until it boils to stabilize the yogurt.
To make yogurt sour, simply leave it on your kitchen counter at room temperature for 4-6 hours, or even overnight if the weather is cool. The natural bacteria will multiply and increase the acidity, giving it the perfect tang for kadhi.
It has both healthy and indulgent aspects. The base of yogurt and besan is rich in probiotics and protein. However, the pakoras are deep-fried, which adds significant fat and calories. To make it healthier, you can try making the pakoras in an air fryer or appe pan.
A typical serving of Punjabi Kadhi Pakora (around 320g) contains approximately 350-450 calories, depending on the amount of oil absorbed by the pakoras and the fat content of the yogurt.
Yes, you can make a healthier version of pakoras in an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 180°C (350°F). Lightly spray the basket with oil, place spoonfuls of batter, spray the tops with oil, and air fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. Note that they won't be as soft as deep-fried ones.
Yes, kadhi tastes even better the next day as the flavors deepen. Store the kadhi and pakoras separately in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat the kadhi gently and add the pakoras a few minutes before serving to prevent them from becoming too soggy.